56th Annual Grey Bruce Farmers’ Week 2022 ~Goes Virtual, Again~

It goes without saying that the past many months have been difficult! Looking to the remainder of this year, and into 2022, there is continued uncertainty as to what the impacts from the variants of COVID-19 will bring! There is no doubt that in-person gatherings are sorely missed, and we all certainly crave to be in Elmwood, sitting down to a hot roast beef meal among friends. But, until that is safely possible, the Grey Bruce Farmers’ Week (GBFW) committee, with the support of their Premier Sponsor FCC, have made the decision to deliver, for the second year in a row, “the best virtual conference possible” in January 2022. GBFW has been there for local producers and beyond for 55 years. It will continue to be there in its 56th year but delivered online only. Some may ask why this decision was made at this time. To co-ordinate this online delivery to its fullest potential, the committee decided to choose this path now, rather than it being a rushed Plan B closer to January. GBFW is recognized as one of the most well-organized conferences in Ontario. By pivoting to virtual now, coordinators can ensure that that reputation is maintained.

Without the limitations of long-distance travel, and wintery weather, GBFW is available to anyone, from anywhere. Additionally, without the requirement for speakers to travel, the conference can draw from a broader pool of presenters – Sheep Day will feature a veterinarian from the UK. There will still be industry updates, producer mingle periods, speaker Q&As, producer panels, and of course, the top-notch educational content that is expected of GBFW.

Our Virtual #GBFW21 was incredible, and we learned a lot! So, we will build upon the strengths of our first ever virtual conference, to tweak and create an even better Virtual #GBFW22. An example of one of our adaptations is that our first day, Jan 4, will be Check Your Tech Tuesday (CYTT). This will be an opportunity for everyone to get comfortable with the platform, make sure their technology works, check out the sponsors and supporters, and listen to some dynamite speakers! Anyone with a ticket for any of the days will get a complimentary ticket to CYTT.

To find more information about Grey Bruce Farmers’ Week 2022, including speaker profiles, daily agendas, sponsors, exhibitors, and how to register, please go to the website, www.gbfw.ca.

Lastly, don’t forget to mark the GBFW22 dates on your calendar – you sure won’t want to miss them!

Check Your Tech Tuesday – January 4th, 2022

Beef Day – Wednesday, January 5th, 2022

Dairy Day – Thursday, January 6th, 2022

Goat Day – Friday, January 7th, 2022

Sheep Day – Saturday, January 8th, 2022

Ecological Day – Monday, January 10th, 2022

Crops Day – Tuesday, January 11th, 2022